A Little Bit of Crazy (Little Bits) (9 page)

     “You ok?” he asks, bucking his hips into my ass. “Need servicing?”

     I giggle and shake my head, “Not right now. I have so much to do. I have another ten minutes before I need to go back.”

     “We could do a lot in ten minutes.”

     “You are insatiable,” I mumble and twist in his lap so I’m straddling him. “Just looking at you turns me on.”

     He grins his goofy grin and bucks his hips again so his evident bulge presses against me. His mouth claims mine, he tastes of coffee and bagel, and it’s actually pretty nice. “I want you. Over my desk. Now.”

     I scramble from his lap and my phone begins to ring. With a sigh and an apologetic smile I check the caller and kiss James on the lips. “I have to go and take this. I’ll see you tonight?”

     “That you will.”

     I dash from his office and answer. “Hello.”

     “Hi Ms. Johnson, I’ve got some great news.”

     “Give me two minutes, I’m just getting into an elevator. I don’t want us to get cut off.”

     Phelps says ok and waits as I go to my office whilst making casual small talk. “Right, we’ve done some research into Lucas Jones, with the help from social services and the senator, I believe I’ve located three potential matches. I’m going to follow them, do a little digging. See which one is the most likely choice.”

     “That is fucking fantastic Phelps,” I half scream. “Sorry… I just… wow.”

     “Don’t get your hopes up, I’d hate for it to be wrong.”

     “There’s nothing wrong with a little hope Phelps. Thank you so much. I trust the payment cleared? Let me know if you need more.”

     “Certainly ma’am. I’ll call you as soon as I know more.”

     “Hey Phelps.”

     “Yes ma’am?”

     “Be as quick as possible ok. He’s waited long enough.” I say, overwhelmed by giddiness.

     “Of course.”

     I decide not to tell him yet, I want to be certain before I get his hopes up, because for some reason I care about him, a lot. It doesn’t take long for me to finish up, I have a couple of meetings with prospective new clients and have to oversee a couple of minor details where a new store is going up around the corner. Unfortunately I finish way before my husband. He takes on a bigger workload than me. I decide to speak with our interior designer and architect.

     “Hey Sophie,” I say with a warm smile. Sophie is a mid-fifties lady with impeccable taste in décor. She’s been an architect since she left college at the age of twenty. She designed my father’s home and our offices and a good portion of our stores. Don’t let her age fool you, she’s a firecracker with curly jet black hair and doesn’t look a day over forty five. “So, I was thinking my husband needs a bigger office.”

     “What did you have in mind?”

     “Well the conference rooms across from me, I was thinking we move them to the floor below, effectively getting rid of James’ office and moving it up here. Give him a different entrance so we aren’t constantly bumping into each other. I don’t know. I’ll let you work out the details.”

     Sophie chuckles and agrees to come in tomorrow to have a look and get the measurements up. I tell her he needs an attached bedroom and a better bathroom as he spends so much time at work. Another thing I have to look forward to. I tell her to keep it under wraps. Convert the office first so I can move him in as a surprise and then work on the downstairs.

     As soon as I hang up I get a text from Marie telling me to meet her at the bar around the corner. I’ve got a couple of hours before James gets home, why not.

     The bar we frequent is called Shades, it’s a nice little restaurant pub with friendly staff and a calming setting. As soon as I walk in the woman at the bar directs me to a private booth at the back. I smile and wave at a few of the locals and staff as I make my way through the rich red and gold restaurant to the back.

     “She’s here,” Marie says. I look up mid text and gasp. There, sat in the back of the booth is none other than Jacob Stone! “Looks like she’s pleased to see you.”

     “Shut up,” I giggle and hold my hand out. “Mr. Stone, what a pleasure to meet you.”

     “Likewise,” he grins showing perfect pearly whites and two cute dimples in his cheeks. He’s only three years older than myself and Marie, he has dark blonde hair, thick eyebrows and blue eyes so ocean like I could probably swim in them. And from what I’ve seen in magazines his body is rocking. Drool.

Gimme, gimme!

Settle down libido.

Boring
.

Married.

Exactly. Boring. I’d totally get a divorce just to screw this guy. I bet he knows how to work those plump lips
.

Married. Married.

     “Married,” I say out loud.

     “What was that?” he smiles looking confused.

     “Oh nothing,” I cover up my blunder and change the subject. “So, I hear you wanted to meet with me?”

     He grins and I melt. Damn my stupid ring. I find myself twisting it on my hand. “That I did,” his voice is like velvet to my ears. Like a sweet erotic melody. A voice I want to hear calling out my name.

They get it.

“I’ve been excited to meet you ever since I got this gig. I heard you created the shaving products yourself, fresh out of college?”

     I’m blushing, holy macaroni! “Yes, I did, it was my first ever creation.”

     “Yep, she was seeing this guy who kept getting awful shaving rash so she solved that problem,” Marie grins proudly. Why isn’t she trying to screw him? He’s totally up her alley. “She’s a chemical genius.”

      I smile at my best friend affectionately and order a drink when the waiter comes over. “I’m extremely honored that you trust my own product and want to represent it as well.”

     “Not at all,” he waves me off with his hand and shoots me with a cheeky grin. “I must admit, I’ve heard of you but when I was told about you, science geek, great with computers, works her ass off, parties hard. No known boyfriends until sudden marriage I half expected to meet a…”

     “Small chubby girl with glasses and greasy hair?” I giggle and he nods sheepishly. “Yeah I get that a lot.”

     “That she does,” Marie smirks and winks at me again. Does she have a tick in her eye? What’s with the winking? “So, how long are you in town?”

     “Until the commercial is finished. So approximately a week.”

     “That’s great, I usually oversee any advertisements myself. So I should see you there,” I smile and notice how his thigh is barely grazing mine. “So how do you and Marie know each other?”

     He tells me how she called him four nights ago and insisted she introduce him to me. Why you ask? He has no more of an idea than I do of what goes through my friends mind. Marie just shrugs and says it’s a perfect excuse to meet her favorite celeb. We leave it at that.

     We make small talk and share cheesy fries. He asks me about my life, I ask him about his. He’s incredibly funny and charming and laughs with the rest of us. A few times people come over to ask for his autograph, he obviously gives them one, even takes a few pictures. The man is gorgeous, funny, sexy, and sweet, he keeps absently playing with my hair. I need to leave before I do something stupid.

     “Shit,” I scowl at my platinum, diamond studded watch, “It’s almost midnight. My phones dead. James is going to kill me!”

     Marie snorts and downs her drink, “Come on. I’ll give you a ride.”

     “I’m sorry,” I say to Jacob as we stand to leave. “I was having so much fun I lost track…”

     “Don’t apologize to me, I had a great time.” He grins and leads me out of the restaurant with a hand on the small of my back. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

     “You too,” I grin as he kisses me on the cheek. “I’ll see you this week.”

     “I’ll call you, we should go for lunch.”

     I nod, quickly giving him my number and wave him off as he climbs into a waiting car. Then I follow Marie back to hers.

     “James is going to go ape shit,” I grumble as we pull out onto the street. “Seriously, seriously, ape shit.”

     “Yup,” she giggles and flips off a honking driver. She’s crazy on the road, it freaks me out. Now I’m hoping she’ll crash so I have an excuse for being late, which is ridiculous. “So, isn’t he amazing?”

     “Yes, which brings me to my next question… why did you want him to meet me so badly?”

     She shrugs and clears her throat. A nervous tick she has so I know she’s concocting something in that devious mind of hers. “He likes you. I wanted to see who he reacted better to tonight. I hate that when I get a date and they end up fancying my friends more.”

     “Shit Marie, I’m sorry.”

     She rolls her eyes with a little laugh, “It’s no big deal. There are plenty of men who prefer my skinny ass to your blimp buns.” I throw my head back and laugh. Blimp buns, ace.

     “I hate being married.” I sigh once I calm down. “If I wasn’t I totally would have tapped that.”

     “Get a divorce.” She shrugs as if it’s no big deal.

     “I can’t do that.”

     She frowns a little, “Why not. It’s not like you love him. Or want him.”

     “Actually,” I say my voice rising in defense. “He’s the best sex I’ve ever had. He’s sweet, he’s kind, he’s understanding.”

     “He’s boring.”

     “He’s not boring he’s just,” I sigh struggling to find the right word. “Centered. He knows what he wants.”

     “And never strays from that path. Aka boring.” Marie giggles.

     I’m not getting a divorce, I will see this marriage through until the day he decides I’m not worth it. Why do I suddenly feel panicked? Do I not want him to divorce me? Damn me and my stupid mind. What will I do if he does get tired of me? What if he realizes what a disaster I actually am and decides he wants nothing to do with me?

     All of this goes through my mind over and over as I head up to my apartment. Praying the elevator gets stuck so I can delay the inevitable. Of course it doesn’t, it’ll only ever do that when I’m on my way to a very important meeting or I’m in labor or some shit. Typical sods law.

     Taking a deep breath I open the door to a dark hallway. There is a light at the end of the hall under the living room door. I dump my bag and keys on the desk by the door and kick off my shoes before opening the door slowly.

     The first thing I see is James face as he jumps up from the couch. It’s relief, nothing but concern and relief as if worrying I’d been abducted or something. He darts over to me and wraps his arms around me tight, burying his face in my hair.

     “I was so worried!” now he’s angry and holding me at arm’s length. “Where the hell have you been?”    “I…”    “No, forget it. I don’t want to hear your excuses.”    “But…”     “I was freaking out. I thought you’d been hurt, or abducted! Why didn’t you call?”

     “James,” I say stifling a giggle and then wrap my arms around his waist. “I’m sorry. I got sidetracked. I finished two hours early and met Marie at Shades.”

     “Oh, that restaurant place?”

     I smile with a nod. “Yes, you’ll never guess who she had with her. Who wanted to meet me! Me! Of all people! Who is doing a commercial for my very own sensitive shaving
solutions!”

     “Who?” he laughs at my excitement. I love the smile on his face, it’s beautiful.

     I clear my throat and commence a drum roll on the back of the couch, “Jacob Stone!” It comes out as a pathetic squeal. “We were talking and had a few drinks. My phone must have died because before I knew it, it was midnight. I’m so sorry.”

     The smile on his face falls to a blank mask. His fists clench at his sides. “Let me get this straight,” he seethes in a low tone through his tightly clenched teeth. “You forgot to call me because you was with… Jacob Stone?”

     I nod because what he just said sounds worse from that view.

     “Fine,” he says and takes a deep breath to calm himself. “Did anything happen?”

     “Umm… we traded numbers, we’re going out to lunch before I oversee the commercial shoot,” I say carefully, not wanting to lie but not wanting to anger him further. “It was completely harmless.”

     “So he didn’t touch you, kiss you… did you fuck him?” here we go.

     I huff a little and head towards our bedroom with him close on my heels, “Don’t be ridiculous. We just sat next to each other and talked. Marie was there.”

     “I’m not being ridiculous. Christ Maya, I’m jealous, it’s a normal feeling. Why didn’t you invite me?”

     “You didn’t cross my mind baby,” I say soothingly but apparently it’s the wrong thing to say because he turns and punches the door before glaring at me. “You just put a hole in the door.” I stare at the crack and hole.